Dial telephone lock



- B. ZION DIAL TELEPHONE LOCK Filed June 7, 1947 INVENTOR. Sim/4R0 Z/ON May 10, 1949.

Patented May 10, 1949 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFIE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved demountable lock, and more particularly to such lock adapted to secure a manually operated dial of a conventional telephone connecting with a so-called automatic switchboard, against unauthorized use in making outgoing calls.

Among the objects of the invention is to generally improve demountable locks of the character described which shall comprise few and simple parts that are readily assembled to form a rugged, dependable lock, which shall be compact and neat in appearance, which shall be relatively cheap to manufacture, which shall be easy to mount in looking position and to dismount for releasing the dial, and which shall be practical and elficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects and advantages will be in part obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists of features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described and of which the scope of the application will be indicated in the following claims. In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one illustrative embodiment of this invention- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of base portion of a telephone instrument showing a manual dialing device with the improved demountable lock in place effective to prevent unauthorized use in making outgoing calls, said lock being constructed to embody the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of said fragmentary base portion showing the automatic dialing device and the improved lock in effective mounted position.

Figs. 3 and 5 are enlarged cross sectional views taken through the lock on lines 3-3 and 5--5, respectively, in Fig. 1, the key being shown inserted in position for unlocking in Fig. 3, and the key position shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 5.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken through the lock and key on lines l-i in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged bottom view of the look as seen from the under side of the dial plat-e, only a fragmentary portion or the latter being shown, and.

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the improved lock in released dismounted position ready to be applied for locking the dial only a fragmentary portion of the key being shown.

Referring in detail to the drawing iii denotes the base portion of a telephone instrument showing a manual dial H as used in connection with operating a so--called automatic switchboard (not shown) in the well understood manner.

Saiddial H, may be of any conventional well known construction and as seen from Figs. 1, 2 and 6, has a circular rotatably mounted plate or disc l2 provided with ten spaced openings [2a whereby said plate I2 is actuated against spring means (not shown) by manual manipulation in a rotary direction as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 in the well known manner, for dialing telephone numbers or signals in connection with said so-called automatic switchboard. The dial H also includes an arcuate shaped relatively stationary stop member I3 which extends over the dial plate l2 radially inward from the periphery thereof as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Said member i3 is spaced from the dial plate l2 a suflicient distance to permit free movement of the latter and is positioned in the path of movement of dial plate opening 12a to provide a stopping means for the selective rotary movements given the dial plate I2, in the well known manner, when making outgoing calls or signals.

In practicing the invention, to-secure the dial 5 l against unauthorized use in making outgoing calls, that is, to prevent the dial II for being actuated, there is provided locking mechanism M which as seen fromthe drawing comprises an outer housing or casing barrel l5 in which there is journalled therein a cylinder It fitted for rotary movement on the axis thereof.

Cylinder I6 is provided with a slot or key-hole 56a which extends axially therethrough for receiving a suitable key ll, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, said casing barrel l5 and cylinder 16 being constructed and arranged with suitably spaced sets of matching tumblers l8 extending transverse said slot lta. Ends l8a of the sets of tumblers H3 in the cylinder l8 engage in notches l'la of the key H for aligning the tumblers [8 in predetermined arrangement to, permit unlocking mechanism [4 by rotation of the cylinder 16 in the casing barrel 15 after inserting the properly notched key N as shown in'Fig, 3. Ends I81) of sets of the tumblers 18 opposite ends "la in the casing barrel i5 bear against suitable compress springs 23, said sets of tumblers l8 and the springs 23 being fitted in bored cavities as shown in Fig 3 to permit the tumblers I8 to have sliding movement therein.

To retain the cylinder 16 in assembled position in the casing barrel Hi, the. upper or exposed end thereof may be made with an enlarged seating flange Heb. and the lower or under end I of the cylinder l6 which extends beyond the casing bar- 'rel bottom has mounted thereon a spacer collar the swing arm 20 located by said collar [9 to be ed to extend inwardly from the interior side of casing barrel l5 as shown in Fig. 5.

If desired the exterior side of the casing barrel 55 may be suitably ribbed as at 25 to provide convenient finger gripping means.

It is thus seen that there is provided a mechanism in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet conditions of practical use.

"As various possible embodimentsmight be made of the above invention, and as various changes A might be made in the embodiment above set forth,

spaced free from a ledge l5a extending longitudinally down from and integrally formed-awithian outer portion of the casing barrel l5 so'thatlocking mechanism l4 when in mounted 'efiective' position, shown in Figs. 1, 2, andr3fiembraces'the stop member l3 in an enclosing passage 22 formed over the dial disc I 2, there being provideda suitable clearance, as at 22a; for permitting the rim portion "or -bordereo'f me dial disc opening-12a to' ext'en nto"passage 22; as'=shown* iii-Tigr s: in which the node 1 4;iwhen in an effective looking position swarmin ends -of-said-"ledge lid and arm 213; spaced apart-slightly i more than the thickness=of 'the' diai disc' f2 to form' said clearance iza.

With -a dismonnted 'loeking mechanism M oonstrubted 'as descri-bd-aboveand"- the partsthereof assembled a's' shown in the sewing the key H when? fully' g inserted'Ef-i tos'the cylinder *slot' that causes? theiitumblersi tflitormove mm the 'dotted line :to the Ffulllline"ipositions as illustrated -=i-n iE igf'3i 'by "lodgingeeabhof -the turnbler ends [8a in oneeof the. key notblie's? llal Turning key l'l to-a"released*positionrasshown- -in' Figfi7yrotates the "swing 'arm 2 to exterrd outwardly of the casing barrl t; that isQ180 from the eflective position" shown'ih-Figf 3 i ieaving the passage" 22.

and-clearance"22avoperr andrready-to be put in use.

To apply the-lo'i:'k ingmechanism l-4'- for' preventing thedial-disc H-r'rom beingmanually operated a nditlrerebyiobkthetelephone against unauthorized use: "i thel cylinder end 1 6c "with the swing'iarm zn-"is'simply mserted through thedisc opening llza adjacent the'st op member-l 3 "and the mech'anismfl'4 "s'eated on' the "stcp' membe'r i 3 with". the" latter extending through the passage 22 and a portion"ofi'thel dial disc 12 positioned in"clearancet22izri By'turniing thez'key tT-and the cylinderf'flfviflth thefswing' armf2'2irf'the dial disc 'l2'zandithel'st'op member :1 3 arefi'eleasablyfinterlo'ckemth'eiborderi'of thehismonening [211 formingn'airbarrier c'losure forftheip'assagerfl the 'stopfmeinber f3 embracedito confine:rsame;- as shownfizf'Figst3 .and '6lf'f'lhe key 1 fl 'may then be 'removedand the'locking mechanism: 1 4 left e'fiectively anehoredinplabe to prevent unauthorized dlarfiis'cfl zm'ovement.

i To release"thei'lockedfiisc I2fithe key lTis inserted'into .cylinder;"s1otT l'6a;. 'and the; cylinder. IS with the: swing arm '22 'tuihie'df babk .to releasing positi'onr'as;mustratedfin Figfv' tnerebyi ermit- Itin'giitheidisniou nting iof theT locki-ng mechanism l'4 i from'i said reflective: position-for allowing the dial It! 1' te 'be" manipid-ated'iiinithe readily -understood'mafiner.

s. Jllo .restrictrtherotatory movement of cylinder I s sothaiithe keyll'o'cl liri'g"andv unlocking position lcanlbe readilyfdetermine'd; suitable means (may be provided, suchnasxLagroovei llG'd' extending. 180 about the outersuriace' of the, cylinder l 6 in which a. 's'tudIMI-rides, Isa-mama; 24 Lbiiigifixedly mount.-

it is to be understood that all matters herein set liorthfiori'shown in the accompanying drawings casingihaving.

are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having-sthusldescribed my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

lJA-Joeking mechanism for a telephone dial having a manually operated rotary mounted dial disc iormed'rwithk circular s pacediopenings and as) relatively 1i stationary "stop ltmem ber normally locatedf'adjacentitotlandaover'itheipath :of movement of ::one :ofisaidxrdisc openings comprising a mleaidings'end'z-ailedge integrally formed toxprojecmfronr 'saidzJeadingrendLto: provide a passagef'formed iwitht'awall-sof said ledge at :said: leading emit forrnonfinin'grsaid" stop:.me1nbersinsaidpassagewhenisaidnnech'anisnrisseated in'tan iefiectivedookingtposition:omsaid'tmember, a'barrel movablymountedim saidscasing in. spaced alignment iwithsrelationi toz-tsaidiledgm'a swing am having: a; fr.eeoendcexteridizrg1 ozzbe :positioned in arid'rout :of:lal-igmnentrnwithrsrfespect; to the'sledge andizmountedf to'i turmrwith: :an end ofasaid: barrel beyond said. ileadingacasinga en'd; saidsarm when in'i'alignmenti iwith zrespeottto. :the. ledgebeing. in saidx'effective. lockingxpositionrspaced from said ledge to: provide av-o1earancetslightly greater than the: thickness ofwthe: dial i'disc-xwiths the dial disc releasab'ly' *secured to the :sstop. member against movement from theipassageysaid:arm when out of alignment insertableninto' the dial disc opening; and-fa keyi'locking means in the. casing for turning the barrel swithwsaidc arm: in :andout of said aligning position.

Y 2. A locking mechanism for -a telephone dial dischaving an openingand-rotary mountedcwith respectto-a relativelysstationary. stop member positioned :over the path ofmovemen-tt-oi" said .disc opening, said locking;:mechanismiformed with a portion adapted; to l beeseatedr against the -.stop membena movableiendzcarried by-said portion, a swing arm.-mountedtoeturna with: said. end, said swing arm and end being-insertable through the disc opening when mounted saidmechanism in said seated: positioni -and.-.a. ledgeintegrally formed to extend from saideseati-n-g.portion.spacedfrom said-end defining a passage-rwith said dial disc for confining theustoptmember therein.- and providing clearances slightly greater: than I .the thickness of the disc for extendinglsaidrdialdisc intolthe passage; saidr mechanism. serving to turn the swing armwfrom. said .insertable position to .a spaced aligning-position of saideendswith respectto the ledge for releasably"interlocking"the dial disc to said stop member.

-3. A lock for amanuallyoperated telephone dial having arotatable platadisc formed with an opening and a relatively stationary stop member positioned over thepathof movement :of said disc opening comprising a.key. lockingsand. releasing mechanism havingacasing formedlwith a leading endwincludingaledge integrallyv formed-to extend from al leading end oiv said:.mechanism,.;anda swingable arm actuated by said mechanism and mounted on said leading end spaced from the said ledge when in a locking position to form therebetween a passage for embracing and confining said stop member and a clearance slightly greater than the thickness of said plate disc between aligning end portions of said ledge and arm to permit the extension of said disc into said passage when said mechanism is in said locking position releasably interlocking the dial disc with the stop member against unauthorized relative movement.

4. In a device for seating against a relatively stationary stop member of a telephone dial having a manually operated plate formed with an opening which is rotatably mounted under said member, a mechanism for locking the dial plate to the stop member to prevent unauthorized use of the telephone comprising a casing barrel having a leading end, a key actuated cylinder journalled for turn movement in said barrel having a portion extending beyond said leading end and adapted to be received through the dial plate opening, a swing arm having a free end terminating said extended barrel portion mounted to turn therewith, and a ledge integrally formed to project from said barrel leading end spaced from the extending portion and of a length short of the path of movement of the free end, said arm when in spaced alignment with respect to the ledge providing a clearance slightly greater than the thickness of the disc for permitting the dial plate to pass therethrough, said locking mechanism when in efiective seated position with the swing arm turned to align with the ledge forming an enclosed passage embracing the stop member for locking the dial disc against movement with respect to said stop member.

5. In a device for seating against a relatively stationary stop member of a telephone dial having a manually operated plate formed with an opening which is rotatably mounted under said member, a locking mechanism comprising a relatively stationary body portion formed with an integral ledge at a leading end thereof to provide seating means against the stop member on a side thereof opposite to that facing the dial plate, and a key-actuated swing arm extending through the dial plate opening beyond said seating means on the side of the dial plate opposite to that facing the stop member, the path of movement of said swing arm being spaced from the ledge to provide slight clearance for passage of the dial plate, said swing arm when said mechanism is in an effective locking position aligning with the ledge for locking the dial plate against movement with respect to the stop member and said swing arm when in a released position extends away from said ledge to permit the removal of the mechanism by withdrawal of the swing arm through the dial plate opening.

6. The locking mechanism defined in claim 1 in which said casing is formed with flattened oppositely positioned exterior finger gripping surfaces.

7. The lock defined in claim 3 in which said mechanism has exterior means formed thereon for finger gripping thereof.

8. The device defined in claim 4 in which said casing barrel is of oval cross-sectional shape to provide flattened oppositely positioned exterior finger gripping surfaces.

BERNARD ZION.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATEITS Number Name Date 1,776,704 Rushing Sept. 23,1930 1,807,065 Greenberg May 26, 1931 1,984,089 Segal Dec. 11, 1934 2,397,954 Feldman Apr. 9, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 386,984 Great Britain Jan. 27, 1933 618,795 Germany Sept. 17, 1935 87,349 Sweden Sept. 15, 1936 785,903 France May 27, 1935 

